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(An open response to a parent who shared some great questions/concerns in the comment section of this blog.)

I want to thank you for sharing your concerns about social media and its potential impact on foundational learning. When I first read your comment on my blog I was struck by your authenticity and the importance of what you were asking. My visceral response was to craft a comprehensive (and maybe even eloquent) reply.

In attempting to do so, I quickly realized that I was prioritizing my own answer over your very valid concerns. If I’m being honest, I think that I was trying to insert my “expertness” (perceived or otherwise) into a reply because I wanted you to be as confident about the learning experiences we are trying to facilitate as I am. This prompted me to pause.

When our answers become more important than the questions others ask we will have done a disservice to the very nature of learning. Please know that I will carry your questions and perspective with me to conversations we have as a school about Vision, pedagogy, and student achievement. Most importantly, I will never lose sight of the hopes, dreams, and expectations that parents have for their children and their children’s schools.

One day many of our children will have social media accounts of their own. I can only hope that the modeling that you, Tony, have done by showing integrity, inquisitiveness, and concern in your original blog comment to me helps our kids understand the potential value of social media and other important communication tools.

I believe that the questions you’ve asked should also be part of a larger conversation about the nature of foundational learning. For this reason I’m inviting others to join us in the conversation. If at any point you’d like to connect directly please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail.